No controversy is too big and no subject is off limits. Unafraid of being politically incorrect, CBN founder and chairman Pat Robertson will tackle all of the issues of our culture that most Christians shy away from. Derived from the actual questions answered on his 700 Club television segment of the same name, Bring It On gives real answers to Christians with tough questions. Questions include:
- How Can We Do Greater Things than Jesus?
- What Makes a Worship Service?
- Do Clones Have Souls?
- Should a Christian Avoid Using Medicine?
- Do Miracles Really Happen?
No controversy is too big and no subject is off limits. Unafraid of being politically incorrect, CBN founder and chairman Pat Robertson will tackle all of the issues of our culture that most Christians shy away from. Derived from the actual questions answered on his 700 Club television segment of the same name, Bring It On gives real answers to Christians with tough questions. Questions include:
- How Can We Do Greater Things than Jesus?
- What Makes a Worship Service?
- Do Clones Have Souls?
- Should a Christian Avoid Using Medicine?
- Do Miracles Really Happen?
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Overview
No controversy is too big and no subject is off limits. Unafraid of being politically incorrect, CBN founder and chairman Pat Robertson will tackle all of the issues of our culture that most Christians shy away from. Derived from the actual questions answered on his 700 Club television segment of the same name, Bring It On gives real answers to Christians with tough questions. Questions include:
- How Can We Do Greater Things than Jesus?
- What Makes a Worship Service?
- Do Clones Have Souls?
- Should a Christian Avoid Using Medicine?
- Do Miracles Really Happen?
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781418514648 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Christian Publishing |
| Publication date: | 12/19/2023 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 364 |
| File size: | 572 KB |
About the Author
Pat Roberson ha logrado el reconocimiento nacional e internacional en el campo de la teledifusión religiosa y como filántropo, educador, líder religioso, estadista, hombre de negocios y autor. En 1988 lo nominaron como candidato republicano para la presidencia de los Estados Unidos. Es autor de catorce libros, muchos de los cuales han sido éxitos nacionales. Tiene un doctorado de la escuela de leyes de la Universidad Yale y se especializó en divinidad en el Seminario Teológico de Nueva York. Él y Dede, su esposa, tienen cuatro hijos y catorce nietos.
Read an Excerpt
BRING IT ON
Tough Questions. Candid Answers.By Pat Robertson
W Publishing Group
Copyright © 2003 Pat RobertsonAll right reserved.
ISBN: 0849917123
Chapter One
LOVE, MARRIAGE, AND SEX* * *
One of the most oft-quoted myths about marriage must be, "They lived happily ever after." Does anybody really believe that? Even in the best of marriages, questions arise, problems occur, and conflicts happen. The real question is, "What do we do when these skirmishes threaten to escalate into all-out wars that can drive permanent wedges between marriage partners?" The answers, of course, are in God's Word.
As you will discover in this section, the questions of many modern couples tend to be quite intimate. In a society inundated by sensual imagery, where even some Christians wonder whether monogamy is a realistic long-term relationship, many of our questions in this section deal with legitimate and illegitimate sexual expressions.
Whether you are a senior citizen or a youthful newlywed, it is important to regard marriage and the sexual relationship as sacred, something that God designed to be the most intimate human relationship a man and a woman will ever know on earth, a relationship in which the couple is committed exclusively to each other for life. All sexual expressions between a man and a woman outside of a marriage relationship are sinful and wrong.
Certainly, thatconcept has come under vicious attack from many in our midst. But God's Word has not changed. His standards are still intact. He has written the best Book of all on marriage, and how it is to be lived out. That's not to say married love is easy to maintain. Whether you want to rekindle romance in your marriage, build a loving relationship that lasts a lifetime, conquer incompatibility, overcome past infidelity and keep your family from falling apart, or any combination of the above, it will take a great deal of effort and prayer. A good marriage doesn't just happen. It takes love, patience, time, commitment, and, yes, even work!
But it is possible to have a great marriage, one that will stand the test of time and reward you with exquisite joy.
BRINGING HOME THE BACON
My husband has always said that he is the head of the household because he brings home the larger paycheck. I recently accepted a job that pays more money than my husband makes. Can I now take the role as "head of the household"?
Your husband gave you the wrong reason he is the head of the family. His leadership role is not based on income. He's head of the household because God gave him that responsibility. In a Christian home, Christ is the head of the husband, and the husband is the head of the wife. Together, the parents have authority over the children.
The fact that you now bring home more money than he does is not a determining factor. Of course, in any marriage, if one of the partners says, "I'm making more money than you are, so I'm better than you, and you'd better do what I say," that is a relationship headed toward trouble!
Married couples are partners; they should be working together toward common goals decided upon mutually. Certainly, in our society today, with many wives employed outside the home, maintaining a balanced, mutually satisfying marriage relationship takes incredible cooperation and patience with each other. Historically, men were the protectors and the providers, and women were the nurturers in the family. Men went out and fought the battles, killed the wild animals, and brought back something to eat. The women stayed at home, taught and cared for the children, kept the house, and cooked the meals. Eventually, instead of actually killing something and dragging it home, the man started bringing home a paycheck, by which be provided for and protected the family. Meanwhile, the wife remained at home caring for their children and attending to housekeeping matters. It was not a matter of one spouse being more intelligent or talented than the other. It was simply a matter of complementary roles.
Today, many women are immersed in the workplace; some because they are extraordinarily capable, have marketable skills, and want to have a career outside the home, while others work because they feel they must to help make ends meet. Regardless, the husband is still the head of a Christian home, and he is to "love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." His role should not be one of a domineering spirit, but that of a servant leader, willing to lay down his life for his wife and for his family.
The Bible indicates that the concept of family is not simply a convenient institution created by mankind, but rather has its source in God, the heavenly Father. God is the head of Christ, and Christ is the head of the church, interceding for His "family" with the Father. On earth, the husband stands in a similar role with the family, as the head of his household and serving as a priest to the family. His primary job is to intercede with the Lord on behalf of the family and to receive directions from God for his family.
An example of this can be seen in the life of Joseph, the husband of Mary; the mother of Jesus. Joseph was not the literal father of Jesus Christ, yet God sent His angelic messenger to him as the head of the household, warning him of impending danger following the birth of Jesus, instructing them to move to Egypt for a season. God later sent another message indicating it was safe to return to their homeland? Interestingly, the directives were issued to Joseph, rather than to Mary. Clearly, God regarded Joseph as the "priest of the family;" he was the primary conduit through whom God sent His Word to the family. Mary was not to usurp the role of her husband, even though she had given birth to the Savior.
When a husband is truly operating as the Spirit-led priest of the family, the wife is obligated to follow his leadership. Keep in mind, though, that a husband and wife are to submit to one another.
My wife, Dede, has a strong relationship with the Lord and has been walking with Him for many years. I value and appreciate her spiritual sensitivities and insights. When we have a serious decision to make, she and I sit down together to discuss it. Then we take time to pray about the matter, together and individually, asking God to speak to us. When we get back together, I'll ask, "What did the Lord tell you?" and she'll ask the same question of me. Often the Lord will give one or both of us specific scriptures relating to our prayer, and we apply those biblical insights to our decision.
As much as possible, my wife and I make our major decisions together. But occasionally, something will come up that we can't agree on, or possibly a matter demands an immediate decision. In those cases, I will make those decisions and take the responsibility before God for them.
Because men are usually more analytical by nature, and women tend to be more sensitive and intuitive, it has often been said that the man is the head of the household and the woman is the heart. When the head and the heart are working together, the relationship can be wonderfully harmonious.
IS IT ME, OR IS IT THE VIAGRA?
My husband just began taking the drug Viagra, and now he can't seem to keep his hands off me. We've been married for thirty years and never really had that great a sex life. I can't help but think that it's not me he's attracted to, but simply the Viagra luring him into the bedroom. What are your thoughts?
Viagra does not cause sexual desire; it merely enables a man to perform sexually, especially a man who has previously experienced problems with impotency or other forms of sexual dysfunction.
It is extremely difficult for a woman to understand the loss of self-esteem that accompanies erectile dysfunction. To many men, their ability to function sexually is at the core of their masculinity. When they cannot perform normally, they become embarrassed, irritated, and their self-esteem dwindles to next to nothing. All too often, a man with such a problem will begin looking for excuses to avoid sexual contact with his wife. It's not that he has ceased loving her; he knows that if he initiates certain activities or expresses affection in certain ways, his wife will anticipate sexual union, and he simply does not want to find himself in a potentially humiliating situation. His attitude is, "Why start something I cannot finish?"
This situation can be brought on by normal loss of testosterone due to aging. Sometimes excessive stress can cause erectile dysfunction, as can some medical or emotional problem. Whatever the reason, the resultant lack of sexual intimacy in a marriage can be extremely frustrating for both partners.
The good news, however, is that thanks to modern medical science, doctors can now help most men overcome this problem. Start by honestly communicating with your spouse. Then, together, without embarrassment, take the proper steps to deal with the situation.
It may well be that your husband has deeply loved you all these years and has agonized over his inability to express his love for you through sexual intimacy. The nagging self-doubt may have shown up in other areas of your relationship as well. But now that medicine is available to help your husband perform sexually, he is much more confident in lavishing his love and affection on you. He is now enjoying the relationship with you that he always hoped for but until now has not been able to consummate. Nevertheless, it is not the Viagra drawing him into the bedroom; it is his desire for you!
Obviously, your husband still enjoys you, and hopefully, you still enjoy and want to be with him physically. Rather than fretting, why not enjoy what you may have been missing over the past thirty years?
NOT ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH SPIRITUALLY
What should a Christian husband do when he and his wife are not on the same "wavelength" spiritually?
Our research at CBN reveals that Christian couples who pray together regu-larly rarely get divorced. By "praying together," I do not mean merely mouthing a few rote prayers before mealtime or bedtime, although those prayers are important. But couples who stay together over the years are those who take time to bring everything about their lives before the Lord in prayer-praying for each other, praying for their children, their children's future mates, their employment; for spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial needs; for the church and discovering God's heart for missions and evangelism. Couples who come before God regularly in that type of prayer eventually get on the same "wavelength."
Early in Dede's and my marriage, I was seeking more of the Lord, believing that God wanted to fill me with New Testament power. I was racing forward in my faith, attempting to drag my wife along with me. Yet we were living with little money in an extremely poor, downtrodden section of town, and Dede was concerned about how we were going to survive.
I believed that if we'd seek Him first, God would take care of us. I continued pressing in with the Lord, asking Him to fill me with His Holy Spirit. When God met me in answer to my prayer, it was as if I had punched through a spiritual sound barrier. Dede realized what God was doing in my life and, despite her misgivings, entered herself into the glorious fullness of God's blessings.
CONFESSING PAST SINS TO A POTENTIAL MATE
I want to go into my marriage (my first and hopefully last) with total honesty, but how much of my past failures and sins should I tell my fiancée?
Little or nothing! If you do, you'll be hearing about your past relationships for years on end. What is in the past is the past. If it's under the blood of Jesus, don't resurrect it.
If you doubt whether your past sins have been adequately dealt with, confess them to the Lord one more time, asking His cleansing and forgiveness. But if you are certain that your sins have been confessed and forgiven, it is a mistake to revisit that part of your life. Simply acknowledge, "Yes, I have sinned in the past, but I don't want to live that way anymore. I want to live with my mate in a manner that is pleasing to God. What is in the past is past." Don't keep digging up garbage; it is not useful and it is not necessary.
Now, if you sin sexually after you are married or commit some other sin that directly impacts your marriage, that failure certainly should be confessed to your partner; but what happened before you were married is over and done with.
If you lived a racy, dissolute life, you needn't provide details. Simply inform your spouse in general terms, such as, "Honey, when I was younger, I wasn't a saint. I lived a pretty bad life, and I want you to know that. But I am a different person now, because of what the Lord has done for me. I love you and am committed exclusively to you. I want God's guidance in our lives and our marriage to be grounded on His Word."
In my opinion, if the past is truly behind you, that's all the premarital confession that is necessary.
CHEATING IN MARRIAGE
I've been cheating on my wife for more than three years. Recently I repented of my sin. Should I tell my wife about my affairs?
If you've been cheating in your marriage, certainly you have sinned against God, but you have also sinned against your spouse. It's not good enough to say, "God has forgiven me, so that's all that is necessary." You need to seek forgiveness from the offended party.
If you are the person who was sinned against, you must handle the matter with grace and extend forgiveness to your repentant spouse. Remember, the Lord has forgiven you of your sins; you have no right to withhold forgiveness from your mate. God is on the side of redemption; He will help you to save your marriage.
Be kind but firm. Say something such as, "God forgives you, and I forgive you. But we are not going to continue to live this way; I'm not going to allow you to use me as a doormat, flagrantly violating our marriage vows. Not to mention the many sexually transmitted diseases running rampant nowadays-if you continue messing around, you are going to bring something home to me, and I do not want that to happen. Yes, I forgive you, but we are going to make some changes around here."
As the husband, even though you have fallen, if you have now repented of your sin, you are still the head of the household. Your wife is not meant to be your keeper. Neither is she your personal substitute for the Holy Spirit. You must stand up and be the man of God in your family. You must establish the new patterns in your own life and in your marriage that will enhance your relationship with the Lord and with each other.
But on this one, keep in mind that according to prevailing law, a dog is entitled to only one bite. If you continue to philander, you are not a fit spouse and your mate has every reason to leave you.
Continues...
Excerpted from BRING IT ON by Pat Robertson Copyright © 2003 by Pat Robertson
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.